Bromsgrove MP Sajid Javid has revealed he was punched to the ground by a racist bully as an 11-year-old schooboy.

Mr Javid, the Home Secretary, said "those memories flooded back for me" when heard about the 15-year-old Syrian refugee who was attacked at a Huddersfield school, in an incident that went viral on social media.

He told BBC Radio 4's Today programme: "I saw the video like anyone else and part of me I was clearly absolutely outraged and to be frank it reminded me of an incident I had myself when I was 11 at school.

"That’s the immediate memories that came back for me. Obviously I hated it and I thought how that young boy must feel."

A video widely shared on social media showed the teenager being pushed to the ground and having water poured on his face by another pupil.

Some anti-bullying experts have urged people not to share the video.

Sajid Javid (Image: Dominic Lipinski/PA Wire)

Mr Javid, whose parents emigrated to the UK from Pakistan, said he was attacked at school "because I was Asian I was punched to the ground".

Asked how he felt about the Huddersfield incident, he said: "Part of me was, how can this kind of thing still be going on in our country? And I really felt for the young Syrian boy that was involved.

"A couple of days later I went to see some Syrian refugee families in Coventry who have entered the UK and we have rightly provided sanctuary to.

"I just wanted to connect with them and understand what they are going through.

"That particular young boy, I have also written to him, a personal note, but when the investigation is over I’d like him to come and see me with his family and just have a cup of tea or something."

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But he also said that the public outrage at the incident "says something really important about our values as people, our sense of fairness and that’s what’s heartwarming that that is how British people react."

West Yorkshire Police say a 16-year-old boy has been interviewed about the incident.